Declare Winner Of Abia Guber Election, Alex Otti Now To Avert Disaster – NBA Tells INEC
The Nigerian Bar Association NBA, Abia Branch has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to declare Winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Abia state, Alex Otti without delay.
The association in a press release today also called on the President and commander in Chief, Muhammadu Buhari, INEC National Chairman, the National Body of NBA, NUJ, Civil Society groups, Heads of Security Agencies and other respected citizens and institutions to entertain and prevent the bloodbath tempering with the outcome of the election could caused.
The Press statement read:
TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE PRESIDED
BY THE CHAIRMAN NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, UMUAHIA BRANCH.
Gentlemen of the press, good morning.
We have noted with sadness, the controversy surrounding the 18th March 2023 Abia Governorship election and wish to state as follows:-
(1) That as a professional body desirous of ensuring justice, unity, peace and stability of the State, we cannot stand aloof at this point in time, especially when it is obvious that there are moves to trample on the democratic rights of Abians and prevent them from having the person they have unanimously voted for as their go up.
(2)That the overwhelming evidence emanating from INEC indicates that the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti has won the governorship election with a very wider margin.
(3)That since INEC has already declared 16 LGAs and The LP candidate is leading with over 90,000 votes, and the remaining LGA of Obingwa has less than 27,000 accredited voters as captured in INEC’S data, there are no justifiable reasons why INEC should continue to delay the declaration of Otti as the winner of the election.
(4)That the delay in declaring the true winner of the election is causing unnecessary tension in the stat, and this tension could snowball into serious crisis and breakdown of law and order.
(5) We therefore enjoin INEC to declare Alex Otti of Labour Party as the winner of the Governorship election to save the state the avoidable disaster that is looming.
(6) we also call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the INEC National Chairman, the National Body of NBA, NUJ, Civil Society groups, Heads of Security Agencies and other respected citizens and institutions to entertain and prevent the bloodbath this could lead to.
Sign
Barr. Jasper Ejimofor
Chairman, NBA
Umuahia Branch.
21-03-2023.